MOUNTING OF YARN PACKAGES ON A CREEL

Abstract: A creel comprising yarn package supports (6) which are swingable between respective unwinding positions and respective re-loading positions, and which are removable from the creel solely by movement of the supports (6). The creel provides a fast and efficient means for replacing yarn packages of various sizes. A retaining device (4) for use on a creel, the retaining device (4) comprising a bracket (4) for securement to the creel and a yarn package support (6) retained by the bracket (4), the support (6) being swingable with respect to the bracket (4), to move between an unwinding position and re-loading position, and being disengageable from the bracket (4) to enable it to be withdrawn from the creel. A creel comprising a plurality of elongate members (2) for carrying yarn packages: means for varying the number and/or spacing of the elongate members (2); a plurality of supports (6) for yarn packages, carried by each elongate member (2), each support (6) being swingable between an unwinding position and a re-loading position,and being disengageable from the creel; and means for varying the number and/or spacing of the supports (6) on each elongated member (2).

Description: MOUNTING OF YARN PACKAGES ON A CREEL This invention relates to the mounting of yarn packages on a creel. In the textile industry yarn is spun and wound onto a yarn package. Yarn packages vary widely in their weight and dimensions, and there is a continuing trend for yarn packages to become larger. Larger packages provide a longer length of yarn on the package, and this leads to higher processing efficiencies and productivity. In an increasingly competitive market place, manufacturers must also seek to become more versatile, which means they need the capacity to work with the widest possible range of yarns. This is particularly true in the knitting industry, where styles, fashions and designs are continually changing. Yarns are normally fed to flat bed and circular type knitting machines from creels which stand behind, alongside, above or around the knitting machine. A typical creel comprises a support structure or framework which carries supports for the yarn packages, guides for the unwinding threads, and devices to apply controlled tension to the yarns. Knitting machines are commonly fed with a variety of different yarns at the same time, and these yarns may be supplied on yarn packages of widely different shape and weight. Yarn packages may be long and thin, or short and fat, and cylindrical or tapering in shape. Fine yarns come on smaller packages than heavy or bulky yarns. Filament yarns may come on long thin tubes, whereas cotton yarns may be wound on short tubes up to a large diameter. A considerable amount of space is required to accommodate the supply creel which may contain several hundred yarn packages. It is important to minimise the space occupied by the creel in order to reduce costs, to provide the greatest possible flexibility of operation, and to provide for quick and easy replacement of yarn packages. At present, replacement of yarn packages is quickest and easiest when the yarn packages are mounted on supports in the form of swing arms, mounted on the creel. When a yarn package is spent, it may be swung rearwardly, that is, away from the unwinding direction, for replacement. The swing arm system is reasonably space-efficient when the yarn packages are short and fat, but is not space- efficient when the yarn packages are long and thin. Due to the large arc of movement of long and thin yarn packages, a large space has to be left between the adjoining yarn packages. The swing arms, bolted onto the creel, are not normally intended to be removed from the creel. For long thin yarn packages, it is better to employ a creel which has provision for removal and replacement of yarn package supports, predominantly by linear movement, from and to their working (unwinding) position. However, it is undesirable to have different creels for different purposes. In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a creel comprising yarn package supports which are swingable between respective unwinding positions and respective re-loading positions, and which are removable from the creel solely by movement of the supports. An unwinding position is one in which the supports are capable of unwinding yarn on the creel in normal usage. Thus, if, for instance, a cam is used to lock the yarn package supports in place, they will still be in unwinding positions when unlocked because they are capable of unwinding yarn packages on them whether locked or unlocked. In some circumstances, it may be necessary for the yarn package supports to be removable from the creel solely by movement of the supports at all times. It will be appreciated that the supports may be swung to their re-loading positions when short yarn packages of large diameter are employed, and that the supports may be easily removed when longer yarn packages, which cannot be swung around because of space restrictions, are employed. To fully realise the benefits of the present invention, in providing a creel which is extremely versatile in operation, such a creel may have a plurality of elongate members, each of which carries a plurality of said supports, and means for adjusting the spacing of the elongate members, and means for adjusting the spacing of the supports on each elongate member. In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a retaining device for use on a creel, the retaining device comprising a bracket for securement to the creel and a yarn package support retained by the bracket, the support being swingable with respect to the bracket, to move between an unwinding position and a re-loading position, and being disengagable from the bracket, to enable it to be withdrawn from the creel. Suitably the support is disengagable from the bracket solely by movement of the support. In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a creel comprising a plurality of elongate members for carrying yarn packages; means for varying the number and/or spacing of the elongate members; a plurality of supports for yarn packages, carried by each elongate member, each support being swingable between an unwinding position and a re-loading position, and being disengagable from the creel; and means for varying the number and/or spacing of the supports on each elongate member. Suitably the supports are disengagable from the creel solely by movement of the supports. Suitably the means for varying the number and/or spacing of the elongate members is such that the positions of the elongate members may be varied solely by movement of the elongate members. Suitably the supports are engaged with brackets, which are securable to the elongate members at selected positions along them, the supports being disengagable from the brackets and swingable with respect to the brackets. Each bracket may be slidably engaged along an elongate member, and securable at a selected position along it. The selected position may be one of a series of indexed positions but preferably each bracket is securable at any position along an elongate member. Further, each bracket may be disengagable from its elongate member. Preferably each of the end walls of a bracket as described above may have a slot open to one side of the wall, able to snugly receive an elongate member, the slots facing in opposite directions to one another to enable removal of the bracket from the elongate member by turning movement of the bracket. When the elongate member is a round-section tube, the slots may suitably be U-shaped. In a convenient arrangement for enabling brackets to be removed from or slidable along an elongate member, as required, each bracket may be provided with a simple securement means such as a set screw or screws, which may be tightened when the bracket is in the chosen location along the elongate member. Two set screws may suitably be provided, through a wall of the bracket, the set screws being spaced longitudinally and transversely from each other, with reference to the elongate member. Thus, when it is desired to change the yarn packages on the creel, from long, thin yarn packages to short, fat yarn packages, a suitable number of elongate members may be removed, and the position of the remaining elongate members adjusted, so that their spacing is greater than was previously the case. Also, an appropriate number of brackets may be removed from the elongate members, or otherwise slid to positions in which they are not employed, and their supports removed, so that the supports on which the short, fat yarn packages will be mounted, are more widely spaced than the supports on which the long, thin yarn packages were located. Suitably, elongate members of a creel in accordance with the present invention, carrying supports for yarn packages, are uprights. Preferably the creel has generally horizontal frame members which define indexed positions for the uprights, and the uprights may be located in those positions, and removed therefrom, solely by movement of the uprights. A support in accordance with the present invention suitably comprises a section which is engagable with a said bracket, in order to act as a pivot, and a section which acts as a spindle for a yarn package. The pivot section and the spindle section are transverse to each other. The support may optionally have an intermediate section which spaces the spindle section from the pivot section. Preferably, the support is a rod which has been bent to shape. Suitably, the bracket has means to retain the pivot section of the support at an acute angle to the vertical such that the support is self-locating under gravity in the unwinding position and/or in the re-loading position - preferably in both positions, whereby there is an astable point of highest potential energy between said positions. Suitably the support is removable from a creel, and replaceable thereon, by movement which is predominantly or wholly transverse to the longitudinal member on which the support is engagable, in a direction away from the direction in which yarn is drawn from the creel. This may be achieved by providing a bracket with spaced end walls for engagement with an upright elongate member, the lower end wall being provided with an opening which can receive the lower end of the pivot section of the support by a small axial movement of that section, and the upper end wall being provided with an opening which is open to one side of the end wall and which is shaped such that the upper end of the pivot section of the support must undergo non-linear movement to reach the end thereof. For example this latter opening may be generally L-shaped. Preferably an L-shaped opening is open to the side of the end wall which is on the opposite side of the bracket to a yarn package, in its unwinding position. Preferably the arrangement is such that the pivot section is urged to the end of the opening in the upper end wall by gravity. The small axial movement of the support which is required on engagement and disengagement may correspond approximately to the depth of the opening in the lower wall. Thus, a support may be easily disengaged from a bracket, or replaced on a bracket with a fresh yarn package, by very small movements and without hindrance from adjoining yarn packages, and is then free to be withdrawn from the creel by generally axial movement, relative to the spindle section, away from the direction in which yarns are unwound from the creel. Each bracket may suitably have means for releasably retaining two supports. The supports may suitably be swingable in opposite senses, from their unwinding positions to their re-loading positions. Thus, the lower end wall of a bracket may have a pair of openings as described previously and the upper end wall may have a pair of openings as described previously. The spacing and positions of the pairs of openings is suitably such that each support is inclined, as previously described. Suitably the openings in the upper end wall are less widely spaced by those in the lower end wall. When the openings in the upper end wall are L-shaped, preferably they face away from each other. The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. l shows a bracket of a retaining device, mounted on a tubular upright of a creel; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a yarn package support for engagement with the bracket shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevation from above of a retaining device comprising a bracket, mounted on a tubular upright of a creel, and two yarn package supports; Fig. 4 is a partial front elevation corresponding to Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a partial side elevation corresponding to Fig. 3; Fig. 6 shows a tubular upright with engagement members mounted on both ends; and Fig. 7 shows in perspective view the tubular upright of Fig. 6 mounted between horizontal frame members of the creel. A creel (not shown) has a plurality of identical retaining devices attached to tubular uprights 2. Each retaining device comprises a bracket 4 and two yarn package support members 6. For clarity, the yarn packages themselves are not shown on the supports. The bracket 4 comprises two generally rectangular parallel end walls 8, 10 connected by a rectangular side wall 12. The top end wall 8 has a U-shaped opening 14 open to one edge. From the adjoining edge 16, the free edge at the front of the top end wall 8, extend two generally L-shaped slots 18, 20 one on each side. These face away from each other. The bottom end wall 10 has a U-shaped opening 22 open to one edge and facing in the opposite direction to the first-mentioned U-shaped opening 14. Adjacent to the adjoining edge 24, the free edge at the front of the bottom end wall 10, are two circular through-holes 26, 28. The through-holes 26, 28 are more widely spaced apart than are the L-shaped slots 18, 20 of the top end wall 8. The side wall 12 of the bracket has passing through it two set screws 30, 31 to engage the upright at position which are spaced from each other both in the longitudinal direction and in the transverse direction, to engage opposite sides of the upright, so as to secure the bracket against movement, relative to the upright. It will be seen that the arrangement, with the U- shaped openings facing away from each other, is such that slight withdrawal of the set screws enables the bracket to be slid along the upright, whilst further withdrawal of the set screws enables the bracket to be removed from the upright, by turning the bracket about an axis perpendicular to the upright. Each yarn package support is a rod, of circular cross-section, which has been bent to shape. Each has a section 32 at one end, acting as a spindle for a yarn package, and a shorter section 34 at the other end which is engagable with the bracket, to act as a pivot member. Between those sections there are two further sections 36, 38. Sections 34 and 36 join at an elbow 40, of angle slightly greater than 90°. Sections 36 and 38 join at an elbow 42 of angle slightly less then 90°. Sections 38 and 32 join at an elbow 44 of angle slightly greater than 90°. Sections 36, 38 and 32 are substantially in one plane, to which section 34 is transverse. The length of the pivot section 34 slightly exceeds the spacing of the end walls 8, 10 of the bracket. In use, as shown in Figs. 3 to 5, a support 6 is retained on the bracket 4 by the location of the pivot section 34 within the L-shaped slot 18 - the uppermost end of the section 34 resting at the blind end thereof - and of the lower end of the section 34 within the through-hole 26. The pivot section 34 of the other support 6 attached to the same bracket 4 is similarly retained by the L- shaped slot 20 and the through-hole 28. As shown in Fig. 4, the pivot sections 34 are inclined to the vertical, in opposite senses, because of the relative spacing and locations of the slots and the through-holes. The creel is made up of a rigid horizontal framework of vertical and horizontal support members. The horizontal members 48 of the creel are of channel-section, downwardly facing, each having opposed side walls 49 and a connecting wall 50. As shown in Fig. 6, which schematically shows T-junctions of frame members at the bottom and top of a creel, the longitudinal connecting walls 50 of the channel-section horizontal members 48 are formed with evenly spaced holes 52. This is the case at the bottom and top of the creel and the holes 52 at the bottom are in vertical alignment with the holes 52 at the top. The tubular upright 2 has welded to it, at its bottom end and at its top end, a respective channel-section piece 60, which is downwardly facing, having opposed side walls 62 and a connecting wall 64. Each channel-section piece 60 is slightly oversized relative to the channel-section horizontal members 48 of the creel so as to fit over them; each has, welded to its connecting wall 64, a downwardly facing pin 66, of size to fit in a selected hole 52 of a horizontal member 48; and each is welded to the upright 2 by the external face of one of its side walls 62. Each pin 66 has a tapered nose 68 to aid engagement with the required hole 52. It will be apparent that the upright 2 may be engaged in place in a selected indexed position by engaging the channel pieces 60 welded thereto over the longitudinal members 48 of the creel and permitting the top and bottom pins 66 to drop into respective vertically aligned holes 52. The use of the apparatus described above will now be briefly described. Fig. 3 shows the position of the supports 6 during an unwinding operation. Fat yarn packages 70 and alternative thin yarn packages 72 are shown in outline, on the spindles 32. In this position the yarn packages are capable of being unwound. When it is required to change a yarn package, the operator may swing the appropriate support 6 in the direction of the arrow A, though about 180°, to a re-loading position, the dotted line B denoting the orientation of the section 36 in this re-loading position. If the operator cannot swing the support around because of the proximity of an adjoining yarn package, he can remove the support from the bracket. All this requires is minimal movement of the support, to move the upper region of the pivot section 34 of the support along the L-shaped slot 18 or 20, and at the same time lift the support by the very small amount required for the lower end of the pivot section 34 to leave the through-hole 26 or 28. The support and spent yarn package can then be manoeuvred rearwardly, in the direction indicated by the dotted line B, that is to say, in a direction generally opposite to the direction in which yarn is unwound. The yarn package can then be replaced, and the support re¬ engaged on the bracket. When the yarn requirements of a knitting machine or loom change, so that, for example, the creel must retain more yarn packages, the number of uprights may be increased, and their longitudinal spacing decreased, quickly and easily, by means of the simple pin and hole construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Furthermore, the number of brackets on each upright employed may readily be increased, and their spacing decreased. With this type of usage, it is unlikely that yarn packages can be changed by swinging the support members, particularly if they are of long, thin shape. So, they can be changed by removing and withdrawing the supports themselves. When the creel is changed back to deliver a smaller number of yarns, the creel configuration can be changed, with the uprights and brackets thereon becoming more widely spaced out, to enable yarn packages to be changed by swinging the supports. It should be noted that, due to the inclination of the pivot section 34 of a support 6, shown in Fig. 4, the highest position of the spindle section 32 and of the heavy yarn package 70 or 72 when loaded thereon, is when the section 36 is in the position denoted approximately by the dotted line C in Fig. 3. From this adjustable position the support will tend to turn under gravity either to its unwinding position or its loading position. This aids re-loading. For example after re-loading the operator may simply push the package so that the support runs through its astable position, knowing that it will swing into its operative position. This position is determined (that is the swinging movement is arrested) by the engagement of the section 36 against the upright 6, as shown in Fig. 3. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s) . The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims: CLAIMS 1 A creel characterised by comprising yarn package supports which are swingable between respective unwinding positions and respective re-loading positions, and which are removable from the creel solely by movement of the supports. 2 A creel according to Claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of elongate members, each of which carries a plurality of said supports, and means for adjusting the spacing of the elongate members, and means for adjusting the spacing of the supports on each elongate member. 3 A creel according to Claim 2, characterised in that it additionally comprises a retaining device for use on a creel, the retaining device comprising a bracket for secure ent to the creel, which bracket retains the yarn package support. 4 A creel according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, characterised in that the means for varying the number and/or spacing of the elongate members is such that the positions of the elongate members may be varied solely by movement of the elongate members. 5 A creel according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, characterised in that the bracket is slidably engaged along an elongate member, and is securable at a selected position along it. 6 A creel according to Claim 5, characterised in that the selected position is one of a series of indexed positions. A creel according to Claim 5, characterised in that the bracket is securable at any position along the elongate member. A creel according to any one of Claims 3 to 7, characterised in that the bracket is disengagable from its elongate member. A creel according to any one of Claims 3 to 8, characterised in that each of the end walls of the bracket has a slot open to one side of the wall, able to snugly receive an elongate member, the slots facing in opposite directions to one another to enable removal of the bracket from the elongate member by turning movement of the bracket. A creel according to Claim 9, characterised in that the elongate member is a round-section tube and the slots may suitably be U-shaped. A creel according to any one of Claims 3 to 10, characterised in that set screws are provided, through a wall of the bracket to act as securement means, the set screws being spaced longitudinally and transversely from each other, with reference to the elongate member. A creel according to any one of Claims 2 to 11, characterised in that the elongate members are uprights. A creel according to Claim 12, characterised in that it additionally comprises generally horizontal frame members which define indexed positions for the uprights. A creel according to Claim 13, characterised in that the uprights may be located in the indexed positions, and removed therefrom, solely by movement of the uprights. A creel according to Claim 1, characterised in that it additionally comprises a retaining device for use on a creel, the retaining device comprising a bracket for securement to the creel, which bracket retains the yarn package support. A creel according to any one of Claims 2 to 15, characterised in that the support comprises a section which is engagable with a said bracket, in order to act as a pivot, and a section which acts as a spindle for the yarn package. A creel according to Claim 16, characterised in that the pivot section and the spindle section are transverse to each other. A creel according to Claim 16 or Claim 17, characterised in that the support has an intermediate section which spaces the spindle section from the pivot section. A creel according to any one of Claims 16 to 18, characterised in that the support is a rod which has been bent to shape. A creel according to any one of Claims 16 to 19, characterised in that the bracket has means to retain the pivot section of the support at an acute angle to the vertical such that the support is self-locating under gravity in the unwinding position and/or in the re-loading position there is an astable point of highest potential energy between said positions. A creel according to any one of Claims 16 to 20, characterised in that the support is removable from a creel, and replaceable thereon, by movement which is predominantly or wholly transverse to a longitudinal member on which the support is engagable, in a direction away from the direction in which yarn is drawn from the creel. A creel according to Claim 21, characterised in that a bracket with spaced end walls engages with an upright elongate member, the lower end wall being provided with an opening which can receive the lower end of the pivot section of the support by a small axial movement of that section, and the upper end wall being provided with an opening which is open to one side of the end wall and which is shaped such that the upper end of the pivot section of the support must undergo non-linear movement to reach the end thereof. A creel according to Claim 22, characterised in that the opening is generally L-shaped. A creel according to Claim 23, characterised in that the L-shaped opening is open to the side of the end wall which is on the opposite side of the bracket to a yarn package, in its unwinding position. A creel according to any one of Claim 22 to 24, characterised in that the arrangement is such that the pivot section is urged to the end of the opening in the upper end wall by gravity. 26 A creel according to any one of Claims 2 to 25, characterised in that the bracket has means for releasably retaining two supports. 27 A creel according to Claim 26, characterised in that the supports are swingable in opposite senses, from their unwinding positions to their re-loading positions. 28 A retaining device for use on a creel, characterised in that the retaining device comprises a bracket for securement to the creel and a yarn package support retained by the bracket, the support being swingable with respect to the bracket, to move between an unwinding position and a re-loading position, and being disengagable from the bracket, to enable it to be withdrawn from the creel. 29 A retaining device for use on a creel according to Claim 28, characterised in that the support is disengagable from the bracket solely by movement of the support. 30 A creel characterised by comprising a plurality of elongate members for carrying yarn packages; means for varying the number and/or spacing of the elongate members; a plurality of supports for yarn packages, carried by each elongate member, each support being swingable between an unwinding position and a re- loading position, and being disengagable from the creel; and means for varying the number and/or spacing of the supports on each elongate member. A creel according to Claim 30, characterised in that the supports are disengagable from the creel solely by movement of the supports. A creel according to Claim 30 or Claim 31, characterised in that the means for varying the number and/or spacing of the elongate members is such that the positions of the elongate members may be varied solely by movement of the elongate members. A creel according to any one of Claims 30 to 31, characterised in that the supports are engaged with brackets, which are securable to the elongate members at selected positions along them, the supports being disengagable from the brackets and swingable with respect to the brackets.

Inventors: SMITH COLIN PHILIP, SMITH, COLIN, PHILIP
Applicants: SMITH COLIN PHILIP, SMITH, COLIN, PHILIP
Application year: 1994
Main classification: D04B15
IPC codes: B65H49, D04B15